Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Epiphone Les Paul Custom Ebony, Is It Fake?


RenegadeMaster

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 214
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Thanks for posting that Amorica. No-one reading your post would give him an order. I think I was lucky; I got a reasonable guitar for the price, and now I've done the usual pickup swap I'm very happy, to the extent that I'm happily gigging mine.

 

I'll never know for sure if mines' real or fake; fortunately that doesn't bother me anyway. If it is fake I'm surprised that it included the Epi user manual and an Epi promotional poster for the Casino.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL at all the "100 post" spam... :)

 

Glad you finally got your situation right, Amorica. I would have kept the first wrong guitar and just told them I forwarded it, at least until I got the other one. Would have served them right. It was probably just as fake though, so not like it was probably worth keeping. At least my fake Gibson seems to be made of real wood... That photo in the other thread of the fake white custom with the snapped off neck is just scary. We never even used that cheap of a material when building kitchen cabinets, LOL!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Latest development if anyone is interested

 

Hello *****

Would you accept a Epiphone Standard ebony instead, as we found out this guitar is from another supplier who supply us with custom ebony custom white and black beauty,

if like you said, this guitar is not original Epiphone, we will not get any guitars from this supplier anymore,

we buy standard models from different supplier which we are 100% sure that these guitars are 100% genuine.

if you want, we can swap it for you plus a reasonable refund for the price differences.

please let me know what is your thought.

kind regards

frank

 

2008-12-29

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Mzonline.co.uk

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

???: ***************

????: 2008-12-29 18:59:57

???: sales@mzonline.co.uk

??:

??:

 

I sent you the information you requested nearly a week ago, I am still waiting for an answer

to this problem, and if I do not get any reply from you soon, I am afraid I am going

to forward details of your business to Gibson, along with pictures and information

of the guitar I have received, at this moment, I am happy to send the guitar back

providing you give me a full refund and plus payment for the shipping first

My google order number was #*****************

 

 

 

To this latest email I have replied

 

 

I don't think that would conclude the distress this has caused, I wanted an Epiphone Custom Ebony

and that is what I expect, but then again it depends on what we are talking about when you say

"reasonable refund", But the best thing I think you could do for both of us, so I do not have to take

this any further, is supply me with an authentic Epiphone Custom Ebony, seeing as though that is

what I payed my money for in good will, over your website, the second best option in my mind

is a full refund but to be honest, I won't be extremely happy with this, as I don't like the hassle

of having to send the product back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tell him to give you an Authentic Epiphone first and that you'll then check if it's authentic then send the fake guitar over to him after confirming that the one sent is an Authentic.. if he says no you've got to ship the fake guitar first then say It cannot be done as you have very little faith in him...and would complain to the Gibsons.. and after you get the Authentic Guitar Which i suppose he'll give it to you... don't send him the fake one too and to add it up file a complaint against them at the Gibsons.... serves him right though.. he's certainly a con artist... don't spare him...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest alanhindle
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Custom-Electic-Guitar-VS-UK-Delivery_W0QQitemZ290287301790QQihZ019QQcategoryZ33037QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

scary that i was looking at these today and thinking it looked like a good deal.

 

clearly fake now i think about how many times the page says "genuine".

 

When you scroll down to the detailed photos of that Vintage Sunburst Custom they look very genuine to me! (although what do I know?)

 

The seller has 100% feedback from 250 buyers too.

 

If you pay by Paypal, does that guarantee you get the money back if they don't send a genuine product?

 

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It looked genuine to me too..infact that's on a bid not buy it now so it could drastically go up..and the fact that the seller has 100% tells all..Genuine..go a head with the bid..
100% only means if he's a scammer he's fooled everyone so far.....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moral of the story, if you want the real thing, guaranteed, buy from an authorized dealer. If not, and you get scammed, tough luck. And if you buy a counterfeit knowing that it's a counterfeit, not only are you no better than the criminals who make them, you are also supporting the rising costs of the "real" instruments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moral of the story' date=' if you want the real thing, guaranteed, buy from an authorized dealer. If not, and you get scammed, tough luck. And if you buy a counterfeit knowing that it's a counterfeit, not only are you no better than the criminals who make them, you are also supporting the rising costs of the "real" instruments.[/quote']

lol it took nearly 200 posts to get to the conclusion that we should get it from an authorized dealer...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The headstock looks a little iffy. The logo looks fine but the shape of it seems a bit off, but idk because my father laast year bought me and epi les paul 100 but after lookin it over im sure its a fake. but i compared it (the headstock) to my authentic Epi SG Custom and yours looks farely different. BUt im pretty sure that yours is authentic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And if you buy a counterfeit knowing that it's a counterfeit' date=' not only are you no better than the criminals who make them, you are also supporting the rising costs of the "real" instruments.[/quote']

 

So, are you implying that because I own a total of three fakes, two "Gibsons" and a "PRS", all of which were bought used, in person, for $300 each, from a person who also bought them used originally, that I am "no better than the criminals who make them" because I wanted a guitar that looks like a Gibson but has a poly finish? I would also like to know how my purchases have increased the price of a "real" Gibson or PRS, considering that I was not in the market for a real one to begin with, nor did I have enough money to buy anything from Gibson but a melody maker or possibly a faded SG, neither of which I have any desire to own...

I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to believe that anyone who is seeking out a fake Gibson at the 300 dollar price point would be seriously interested in buying the real alternative at the 2300 dollar price point. And if you seriously think you're getting a brand new 2300 dollar Gibson direct from china, for 300 dollars... You're not committing a crime, but you are criminally insane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

So' date=' are you implying that because I own a total of three fakes, two "Gibsons" and a "PRS", all of which were bought used, in person, for $300 each, from a person who also bought them used originally, that I am "no better than the criminals who make them" because I wanted a guitar that looks like a Gibson but has a poly finish? I would also like to know how my purchases have increased the price of a "real" Gibson or PRS, considering that I was not in the market for a real one to begin with, nor did I have enough money to buy anything from Gibson but a melody maker or possibly a faded SG, neither of which I have any desire to own...

I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to believe that anyone who is seeking out a fake Gibson at the 300 dollar price point would be seriously interested in buying the real alternative at the 2300 dollar price point. And if you seriously think you're getting a brand new 2300 dollar Gibson direct from china, for 300 dollars... You're not committing a crime, but you are criminally insane. [/quote']

 

Was it you who was responsible for the price rise of the guitar ?? i never imagined that you could do such a thing...lol..lol..JK..

 

vermin wrote:

you are also supporting the rising costs of the "real" instruments

 

on a serious note..can anyone explain how fakes helps to increase the price the real products ?? :-k I really can't get it...[-o<

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the theory is that the more fakes people buy, the more money the fakers have to make more with, increasing the amount of fakes available. Thusly, there are then more inexpensive alternatives available, pulling would-be customers from the real Gibson company. With less customers, their prices rise on the guitars they actually do still sell, so they can make payroll and such. That logic is, of course, ridiculous, but that's about the only way I can figure one affects the other.

 

I can almost see that logic applying to fake Epis, but I don't think anybody is trying to find and buy fake epis, as there isn't really any positive side to having one. If you can afford a fake epi, you can probably afford a real one. Not so with fake Gibsons, hence the appeal, to me anyway. Plus my afore-mentioned preference of a poly finish, which is probably not the norm in guitar shoppers. To each his own, I say.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello everyone

 

An update after a long time

 

After a lot of emailing back and forth, the supplier is now sending me a Epiphone Les Paul Standard to replace

the fake, now considering I paid £290, and the Heritage Sunburst retails on GAK for £390, I will actually be

happy if it is a genuine guitar, but here is the dilemma, and I want you to think hard before posting an opinion,

I agreed (after a lot of passionate wording about my word) to send the fake back, my question to you, and

please consider it carefully, is should I send him the fake back after I have received the genuine Les Paul

Standard

 

Any reply is respected and considered

 

Thank you all so far for all the help and advice you have provided

 

I really appreciate it #-o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Given all that we've learned, I'd certainly hold onto guitar #1 until everything's OK.

BUT I'd still be very careful about the replacement, since the dealer is NOT an

authorized dealer - like, where's the "real" one coming from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't. He's just going to sell it to some other unsuspecting customer. What's he going to do, tell the cops you won't give him back his illegal counterfeit guitar that he broke the law by selling to you in the first place? I say either keep it as a backup, or perhaps donate it to a school music program so it does somebody some good instead of harm. Assuming that it plays and sounds decent, that is. I just wouldn't try to sell it, even as a fake... It would seem wrong to get a real one for the price of a fake and then turn around and make money off the fake too. Besides, if you sell it, the person you sell it to could then turn around and try to sell it as a real one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the theory is that the more fakes people buy' date=' the more money the fakers have to make more with, increasing the amount of fakes available. Thusly, there are then more inexpensive alternatives available, pulling would-be customers from the real Gibson company. With less customers, their prices rise on the guitars they actually do still sell, so they can make payroll and such. That logic is, of course, ridiculous, but that's about the only way I can figure one affects the other.

 

I can [i']almost[/i] are that logic applying to fake Epis, but I don't think anybody is trying to find and buy fake epis, as there isn't really any positive side to having one. If you can afford a fake epi, you can probably afford a real one. Not so with fake Gibsons, hence the appeal, to me anyway. Plus my afore-mentioned preference of a poly finish, which is probably not the norm in guitar shoppers. To each his own, I say.

 

So I guess legal fees for fighting all of the copyright infringement and counterfeit operations has no effect on price. Gibson, Epiphone and Fender just pay that stuff out of their pockets with none of it being passed on to the consumer. That's almost the same as saying you can steal from Wal-Mart without affecting prices of goods. Counterfeiting is theft, and theft makes prices rise. Even though you bought your fakes second hand, you are still supporting the crime, and as long as the manufacturers have to fight this BS, the people who buy authentic goods have to pay for the crimes of others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

should I send him the fake back after I have received the genuine Les Paul

Standard

 

You might want to check with Trading Standards before you do anything with the fake.

 

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/index.cfm

 

Supplying counterfeit goods (even if you donate them to charity) can be illegal, unless they have been 'de-branded.'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...